Impact
MST4LIFE IMPACT CASE
This impact case provides an overview of the MST4Life programme and how it has influenced young people, organisational practices, and the issue of youth homelessness. Click here to learn about the programme.
HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS IN THE UK EACH YEAR?
HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS IN THE UK EACH YEAR?
Conservative estimates suggest 80,000 young people are affected by homelessness each year
Our work with athletes led us to develop a mental skills training programme - MST4Life - for young people experiencing homelessness. MST4Life focuses on helping young people recognise and develop their personal strengths, to support their wellbeing and pursuit of their aspirations and social inclusion via engagement in education, employment and training.
Ultimately, our work aims to help reduce statutory homelessness in Birmingham and surrounding areas.
From day one, the design, delivery and evaluation have been co-produced with our community partners and young people themselves. Through an action research approach, we are constantly consulting with stakeholders to keep the programme and its evaluation relevant to those it serves.
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See below for our impact within and beyond the youth homeless sector so far.
KEy impacts
MST4Life was the first sport psychology intervention to be delivered in a housing service for homeless young people with multiple barriers to independence
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An independent evaluation found that MST4Life improved the likelihood that homeless young people transitioned into employment, education or training and independent tenancy by 30 percentage points (see our report below)
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MST4Life has influenced jobs creation and workforce planning in a local youth homeless service who set up a new employability team. These new job roles include co-delivering MST4Life and the role of frontline support workers was also modified to include a more explicit remit to help young people develop their mental skills and employability prospects. Check out our Research Excellence Framework impact case here.
Informing practice
Our research has shown that the mental skills training (MST) approach used in sport settings can be adapted to improve the well-being and chances of employability for some of the most socially excluded young people with a range of support needs (e.g. expectant or young mothers, learning difficulties, behavioural difficulties, substance misuse)
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We have found that adolescents require a diverse set of personal and interpersonal mental qualities to be successful performers, and that the nature, development and regulation of these psychological characteristics depends on the performer's developmental stage and social environment
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We have also established the essential factors required to help reach and maintain engagement of homeless young people: be led by participants; provide opportunities to develop social connections, competence and independence; and be experiential, fun and group-based
